I read Young Stalin. Extremely interesting if you're into European history, otherwise I guess I can see a skip. Nonetheless, after that I read Blood Meridian, and dear god is that a dark book. Very worth reading, but at the same time very dark.

the shorts about each member of the workshop was far more entertaining than the actual plot of the story

Agreed. That story I feel like had a ton of potential but really fell flat most of the time though I did think it had it's moments. I think I was in grade 10 when Chuck Palahniuk started reading Guts to audiences and making them faint. I remember bringing in an audio recording and just playing it for people.

Just finished The Shining. The ending was epicly (words?) better than the movie.
It was odd to see that all the famous scenes in the movie aren't in the book.
(Here's Johnny! The twin girls in the hallway)

Recently finished Slaughterhouse-Five and All The King's Men. Slaughterhouse was good, not spectacular, but solid throughout and easily readable. I like All The King's Men a bit more. I had expected from what it had been described as to just be reading a mostly political/thriller narrative, and it was absolutely nothing like that. Definitely one of my favorite books that I have read so far.

I've given up mentioning most books I read in this thread, but recently I read The Naked Lunch. Don't read The Naked Lunch. APS may have some thoughts on this, I know he's studying the Beat Generation to some extent, but that book is just, not right.

I've given up mentioning most books I read in this thread, but recently I read The Naked Lunch. Don't read The Naked Lunch. APS may have some thoughts on this, I know he's studying the Beat Generation to some extent, but that book is just, not right.

I personally loved Naked Lunch. It is ******* out there for sure and a bit difficult to get into but once I found my groove I really enjoyed it. William Burroughs was a fascinating dude.

I personally loved Naked Lunch. It is ******* out there for sure and a bit difficult to get into but once I found my groove I really enjoyed it. William Burroughs was a fascinating dude.

I really tried, but I came to conclusion I was reading nothing more than grotesque lunacy. Not even "insane genius," just merely perversion and grotesqueness proliferated over how many pages. I know its a recount of heroin and addiction, and I did catch some of the deeper themes(the political parties, for instance), but I walked away feeling I had read nothing more than a maniac describing anal sex and rape in as many ways as possible for no apparent reason(admittedly, there is more to it than that). I hate censorship, and although I don't think this book should be, I did somewhat understand why there would be backlash against.

I don't know, maybe a few years down the road I can approach it again a little bit more "enlightened," but that book was simply off. That being said, is all of Burroughs' writing that same way? I was attracted to the book because I find drugs an interesting topic, so I'm wondering if some of his other works are a bit more accessible and frankly sane.

I really tried, but I came to conclusion I was reading nothing more than grotesque lunacy. Not even "insane genius," just merely perversion and grotesqueness proliferated over how many pages. I know its a recount of heroin and addiction, and I did catch some of the deeper themes(the political parties, for instance), but I walked away feeling I had read nothing more than a maniac describing anal sex and rape in as many ways as possible for no apparent reason(admittedly, there is more to it than that). I hate censorship, and although I don't think this book should be, I did somewhat understand why there would be backlash against.

I don't know, maybe a few years down the road I can approach it again a little bit more "enlightened," but that book was simply off. That being said, is all of Burroughs' writing that same way? I was attracted to the book because I find drugs an interesting topic, so I'm wondering if some of his other works are a bit more accessible and frankly sane.

I actually have never read any of his others books though I have always meant to. I completely get where you are coming from. It is certainly a ****** up novel. I just kind of took the plunge and embraced the lunacy of it all. That helped though I don't see myself ever reading it again so maybe my appreciation of it is merely a ****** up nostalgic longing for a novel that really is incredibly macabre and demented.

I still stand by liking it though. I read it after watching the film by David Cronenberg and was not let down. I went in expecting crazy and it exceeded those expectations.

I've given up mentioning most books I read in this thread, but recently I read The Naked Lunch. Don't read The Naked Lunch. APS may have some thoughts on this, I know he's studying the Beat Generation to some extent, but that book is just, not right.

Naked Lunch is interesting. I read that like a year or so ago. The best part was describing the orgy that ends in someone getting impaled or something along those lines.